SCUBA: Advanced Open Water - Day 2
Sunday
Deep Dive
We were the second group to do our descent to a deep part of the quarry. While awaiting our dive, I had a bad feeling about the dive. Aborting a checkout dive didn't seem like an option so I brushed it up to not wanting to be in 38 degree water.
Our descent went perfectly. A slow controlled descent with no problems equalizing. We performed our timed task (opening a padlock) with little difficulty (18 seconds each) then circled the platform twice demonstrating our buoyancy skills. That completed without a problem too, so we went back to the buoy line on the platform to begin our ascent. With 1800psi remaining, we started to surface when my primary started to free flow. I tried clearing it without success then reached for my secondary, which I found in free flow as well. At which point, I started towards Chris' secondary. The remainder of events is a blur. I remember taking two breaths off his regulator but there were tons of bubbles in my face, my mask was being forced up off my face so I was pushing down on my mask while trying to clear. I started to ascend slightly and saw an orange regulator past the cascade of bubbles. I reached for that, tried to breathe but the bubbles kept interfering, but I just concentrated on breathing. At some point I felt Steve try to turn off my tank and he kept signaling to see if I was ok. I replied in the affirmative, "ok" to me was relative at that point -- I had air, but I was mostly in panic mode. I do remember wondering if I should do a safety stop, but my urge to get to the surface won out. Steve saw most of it and fortunately still thought I performed well. *whew*
Wreck dive
After a half hour surface interval, we dove down to a sunken boat for our wreck dive requirement. I noticed that our LED primary light beams were dispersed by the murk, but still quite effective. The fuzzy stuffed caterpillar was still fuzzy too.
After our knowledge reviews are gone over, Chris and I will officially be PADI Advanced Open Water Divers.
Deep Dive
We were the second group to do our descent to a deep part of the quarry. While awaiting our dive, I had a bad feeling about the dive. Aborting a checkout dive didn't seem like an option so I brushed it up to not wanting to be in 38 degree water.
Our descent went perfectly. A slow controlled descent with no problems equalizing. We performed our timed task (opening a padlock) with little difficulty (18 seconds each) then circled the platform twice demonstrating our buoyancy skills. That completed without a problem too, so we went back to the buoy line on the platform to begin our ascent. With 1800psi remaining, we started to surface when my primary started to free flow. I tried clearing it without success then reached for my secondary, which I found in free flow as well. At which point, I started towards Chris' secondary. The remainder of events is a blur. I remember taking two breaths off his regulator but there were tons of bubbles in my face, my mask was being forced up off my face so I was pushing down on my mask while trying to clear. I started to ascend slightly and saw an orange regulator past the cascade of bubbles. I reached for that, tried to breathe but the bubbles kept interfering, but I just concentrated on breathing. At some point I felt Steve try to turn off my tank and he kept signaling to see if I was ok. I replied in the affirmative, "ok" to me was relative at that point -- I had air, but I was mostly in panic mode. I do remember wondering if I should do a safety stop, but my urge to get to the surface won out. Steve saw most of it and fortunately still thought I performed well. *whew*
Wreck dive
After a half hour surface interval, we dove down to a sunken boat for our wreck dive requirement. I noticed that our LED primary light beams were dispersed by the murk, but still quite effective. The fuzzy stuffed caterpillar was still fuzzy too.
After our knowledge reviews are gone over, Chris and I will officially be PADI Advanced Open Water Divers.